61281 ZIP Code — Sherrard, IL

Mercer County, Illinois

ZIP code 61281 is located in Sherrard, Illinois, within Mercer County. It covers approximately 40.19 square miles and serves a population of 2,553 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 309.

About ZIP code 61281

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1970s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $200,300. Owner-occupancy is high at 92%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $82,262. The poverty rate of 3% is below the national average. 38% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 27 minutes is near the national average.

Educational attainment is near the national average, with 22% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

Overall, ZIP code 61281 reflects a community defined by high homeownership and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

2,553

population

40.19

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

61281 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 61281

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 61281. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Sherrard	Acceptable
Sherrard	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

61273 Orion (6.8 mi) 61465 New Windsor (7 mi) 61486 Viola (7.4 mi) 61264 Milan (8.4 mi) 61262 Lynn Center (8.6 mi) 61240 Coal Valley (9.7 mi) 61413 Alpha (10.1 mi) 61279 Reynolds (12 mi) 61201 Rock Island (12.5 mi) 61231 Aledo (12.8 mi) 61466 North Henderson (13 mi) 61265 Moline (13.1 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	2,553
Population density	64 / sq mi
State FIPS	17
County FIPS	131

Geography
Land area	40.19 sq mi
Water area	0.25 sq mi
Latitude	41.2953
Longitude	-90.5131
Timezone	Central (CT)
Area code	309

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 05/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	29.6%	42.5%	37.2%
$50k – $100k	42.0%	35.8%	29.6%
$100k – $200k	25.0%	19.6%	24.4%
Over $200k	3.4%	2.1%	8.8%

Demographics & statistics

2,553

Population

People per sq mi

49.4

Median age

$82,262

Median household income

$40,123

Per capita income

$200,300

Median home value

$750

Median monthly rent

91.6%

Home ownership

3.0%

Poverty rate

2.5%

Unemployment

1,033

Housing units

22.4%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

131

15–19

115

20–24

25–34

141

35–44

125

243

45–54

215

154

55–59

135

110

60–64

191

65–74

168

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	502	19.7%
18 and over	2,051	80.3%
65 and over	512	20.1%
Median age	49.4 years

Race & ethnicity

White 93.5%

Hispanic or Latino 2.9%

Two or more races 1.9%

Other race 1.7%

Group	Count	%
White	2,460	93.5%
Hispanic or Latino	77	2.9%
Two or more races	49	1.9%
Other race	44	1.7%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	29.6%	42.5%	37.2%
$50k – $100k	42.0%	35.8%	29.6%
$100k – $200k	25.0%	19.6%	24.4%
Over $200k	3.4%	2.1%	8.8%

Under $10k 4.0%

$10k–$15k 0.1%

$15k–$25k 2.9%

$25k–$35k 2.8%

$35k–$50k 8.5%

$50k–$75k 23.3%

$75k–$100k 20.4%

$100k–$150k 24.0%

$150k–$200k 7.6%

$200k+ 6.2%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	4.0%
$10k–$15k	0.1%
$15k–$25k	2.9%
$25k–$35k	2.8%
$35k–$50k	8.5%
$50k–$75k	23.3%
$75k–$100k	20.4%
$100k–$150k	24.0%
$150k–$200k	7.6%
$200k+	6.2%
Median income	$82,262

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 3.6%

$50k–$100k 9.3%

$100k–$150k 17.8%

$150k–$200k 19.2%

$200k–$300k 31.5%

$300k–$500k 15.3%

$500k–$1M 3.3%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$200,300
Median rent / month	$750
Owner occupied	91.6%
Renter occupied	8.4%
Vacant	8.8%
Single-family detached	96.2%
Large apartment buildings	0.3%
Mobile homes	0.0%
Median rooms	6.4
Avg household size (owned)	2.48

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	3.8%
2000–2009	5.6%
1990–1999	18.1%
1980–1989	5.0%
1970–1979	28.5%
1960–1969	7.7%
1950–1959	10.3%
1940–1949	3.1%
1939 or earlier	17.9%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	2.7%
1 bedroom	2.9%
2 bedrooms	21.7%
3 bedrooms	51.7%
4 bedrooms	18.3%
5+ bedrooms	2.7%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	3.6%
1 vehicle	18.0%
2 vehicles	44.8%
3 or more	33.5%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	66.2%
Electricity	8.8%
Propane / LP gas	20.5%
Wood	3.6%
No fuel used	0.7%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	701	68.7%
Cohabiting couple	57	5.6%
Male householder, no spouse	143	14.0%
Female householder, no spouse	119	11.7%
Households with children under 18	311	30.5%
Households with seniors (65+)	318	31.2%
Average household size	2.50

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	25.3%	19.7%
Married	61.0%	69.0%
Separated	1.7%	1.0%
Widowed	2.8%	3.8%
Divorced	9.2%	6.5%

Education

Less than 9th grade 1.7%

Some HS, no diploma 2.6%

HS graduate 40.5%

Some college, no degree 22.4%

Associate's degree 10.4%

Bachelor's degree 12.2%

Graduate / professional 10.2%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	95.6%
Bachelor's or higher	22.4%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	13	2.3%
Kindergarten	3	0.5%
Elementary school	224	40.3%
High school	250	45.0%
College / grad school	66	11.9%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 28.7%

Retail trade 15.3%

Construction 9.6%

Finance & real estate 7.9%

Manufacturing 7.6%

Wholesale trade 5.7%

Transportation & utilities 5.4%

Professional & management 5.4%

Arts, food & hospitality 5.0%

Other services 3.5%

Agriculture & mining 3.0%

Public administration 1.7%

Information 1.1%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	34.7%
Service	17.1%
Sales & office	22.4%
Natural resources & construction	12.4%
Production & transportation	13.3%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	82.7%
Government	11.8%
Self-employed	5.5%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	88.2%
Carpool	5.0%
Public transit	0.8%
Walk	0.3%
Work from home	5.7%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	27.3

Poverty

All people 3.0%

Under 18 years 2.2%

18 and over 3.2%

Married-couple families 1.3%

Female-led households 6.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	37.5%
Retirement income	34.8%
Supplemental Security	4.8%
Cash public assistance	2.7%
Food stamps / SNAP	4.0%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	36.4%
High blood pressure	33.2%
High cholesterol	33.2%
Diabetes	9.9%
Heart disease	6.4%
Stroke	2.9%
Asthma	9.5%
Arthritis	26.9%
Kidney disease	2.7%
Pulmonary disease	7.1%
Cancer	6.9%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	18.8%
Binge drinking	15.9%
No physical activity	24.2%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	32.2%
Depression	17.5%
Fair or poor health	13.4%
Poor mental health	12.5%
Poor physical health	9.8%
No health insurance	9.8%
Visited doctor (checkup)	76.1%
Visited dentist	62.9%
Cholesterol screening	90.9%
Teeth loss	12.7%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	182	8.9%

Disability	%
Any disability	11.6%
Under 18	4.4%
18–64 years	7.9%
65 and over	29.5%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	88.2%
Public insurance	25.2%
No insurance	2.5%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	2,507	98.2%
Spanish	15	0.6%
Other Indo-European	9	0.4%
Asian & Pacific Islander	6	0.2%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	2,519	98.7%
Born in same state	2,516	98.6%
Born in different state	1,617	63.3%
Foreign born	3	0.1%
Naturalized citizen	34	1.3%
Not a US citizen	21	61.8%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	284	11.1%
French	160	6.3%
Arab	91	3.6%
English	88	3.4%
Polish	28	1.1%

Ancestry	Count	%
Irish	6	0.2%
Norwegian	6	0.2%
Dutch	6	0.2%
German	3	0.1%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	40.0%
Internet access	88.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 61281

What city is ZIP code 61281 in?

ZIP code 61281 is primarily assigned to Sherrard, Illinois.

What county is ZIP code 61281 in?

ZIP code 61281 falls within Mercer County, Illinois.

Is ZIP code 61281 mostly owner-occupied?

92% of occupied units in ZIP code 61281 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

Does ZIP code 61281 have a large retiree population?

38% of households in ZIP code 61281 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the population of ZIP code 61281?

ZIP code 61281 has an estimated population of 2,553 residents, with a density of 64 people per square mile.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 61281?

The median home value in ZIP code 61281 is $200,300.

What timezone is ZIP code 61281 in?

ZIP code 61281 observes the CST timezone.